Have a heirloom dogwood tree to turn. Moisture is around 39. What is the ideal moisture for turning?
Thank you
Thank you
-
Congratulations to Bernie Hrytzak, winner of the July 2022 Turning Challenge (click here for details) -
Congratulations to John Hicks for "Big leaf Maple Burl Hollow Form" being selected as Turning of the Week of August 15, 2022 (click here for details) -
August Turning Challenge: Turn a Ball-in-a-ball (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
Ideal dogwood moisture
- Thread starter Philip Nolette
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2004
- Messages
- 7,442
- Likes
- 3,477
- Location
- Lakeland, Florida
- Website
- www.hockenberywoodturning.com
Ready to go for me if I’m turning a NE bowl on once turned hollow form
For a ball or boxes I want 8%-10%
For a ball or boxes I want 8%-10%
Like Hockenbery says, turn it green now if you're doing a bowl or hollow form. Final thickness if natural edge or hollow form and 10% of bowl dia if twice turning a traditional. Once done set aside to dry - slowly. For me natural edge go in a brown paper bag. For traditional twice turned I seal and set aside. Once moisture gets to 13% or below in the thickest parts I go to next step.
Thank you. I’m going to put it in a dehydrator. It’s 39% right now. It’s for making some crosses. But I appreciate the 10% target. Am going to slab it and see if I can get it to the 10%.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Much depends on where you live I see little value of taking down below local ambient. But turning it green is the ideal way to go and by far the easiest. As long as you leave enough thickness for shrinkage etc it can vary between species.
Thank you for your reply. I live in Alabama so humidity is high. I will take your advice.
Thank you,
Phil
Thank you,
Phil
If you are going to cut it into slabs, do that before you put it in a dehydrator. Whole logs do not dry well due to being too thick to dry evenly, which causes stress, which leads to cracking. Dogwood is fairly stable when dry, and has a smooth even grain.
robo hippy
robo hippy
Thank you for your reply. Very good information which is going to be the path.
Phil
Phil
I love it for ornamental turning, but it needs to be in a final dry state.